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A Princely Act!

July 10, 2011

This has been an all-royal-all-the-time weekend for me. Covering one story after another since they landed in LA. I have been struck by two things. How much people seem to like this couple. And, the security which has been interesting to watch. There are so many agencies from all levels of government. And, while there has been what looks like a well-crafted strategy for keeping William and Catherine safe they have to do a little of their own tap dancing.

Case in point: Saturday night. For at least a half hour agents talking into their wrists seemed to run thru a list of checks before the Duke and Duchess made their royal exit from the Belasco Theater in Downtown Los Angeles. Bullet-proof security SUVs from the federal government on down move into their motorcade positions in front of the theater. The Land Rover, with a steering wheel on the right side (just like in Great Britain) awaits its famous passengers.

My photographer Julio Duran was certain we and our camera would be on Kate’s side. The passenger door. That’s the side all of the cameras were aimed at. Out came the two. Kate heads for the our side of the SUV when William tells her to go to his side. She swaps. He quickly gets into the car and off they go.

In talking afterward Julio seemed pretty convinced that with our cameras rolling the Prince was uncomfortable with his bride strolling out in front of them. Prince William’s look was serious so, it may well be he felt she could be in a vulnerable position and he moved to protect her. We were just a very few feet from the couple’s car.

Earlier in the night a photographer from the British News Agency told me to keep an eye on the couple’s body language. That they were very much in tune with each other as they walk along. If ever there was an example of that during the time I’ve watched them, this was it. The noble knight protecting his loved one. Even with all the security checks, the various agencies surrounding them and the sharpshooter on a nearby rooftop it was William at the last moment who seemed to notice a potential crack in the security and took some action.

This all happened in a fleeting moment, but if it was as it appeared, it showed Prince William as the protector.